Issue No37 — Chefs of the Compliment

I want to be cosy and I want to receive compliments. Those are two desires I have as the weather gets colder and darker – so much so that you’ll emerge from a working-bee haze only to discover the sun set so long ago you can now see the stars. And it’ll be 6pm.

It would be nice to counteract that disappointment by leaving the work behind and heading into a warm nook somewhere in the city. Maybe even somewhere underground. Ground Wine Bar, for example, would be an ideal winter spot, since it’s dim no matter what time of the day you go, and the sheer pep of the sommelier there would be enough to blast away the surface of winter-induced sadness, or at least smooth it over temporarily. And then, once I have a wine and a basket of cheese breads at Ground Wine Bar, I would like a compliment.

On the phone with Simon the other day on this subject, he mentioned a compliment he got from a near-stranger, years ago, which stuck with him forever. This near-stranger told Simon, “You’re the only person around here that understands colour.” Though it was about his clothes, this person didn’t say, “I like your hat,” or “Those are cool pants.” He said, “You’re the only person around here that understands colour.” It transcended the neutral commercial act of simply picking something at a store to buy; instead, it struck something essential. It was a compliment of good taste. When Simon repeated that compliment out loud into the universe, it warmed me immediately. 

The quality of the compliment is always improved by unusual specificity. And being cosy. If you don’t fancy Ground, I can also recommend Caretaker, the Nightcar, Little Culprit, Panacea and Mezze. Any of those places would be great places to receive compliments. 

Recently, a friend of mine became obsessed with the way people move. The catalyst for this obsession was a bad date: namely, a bad date with someone who moved badly. We quickly deemed this ineffable quality as body intelligence (BI). Someone with a high BI might have natural rhythm when they dance; they might reach for a book at the library in a suave manner; they may have incredible posture when you catch a glimpse of them on the bus; they may sip their coffee in a specific smooth way which obviously betrays their high BI. 

Ever since then, I’ve been occupied with the thought that someone may one day think I have a high BI. Imagine someone telling you, “You have incredible body intelligence. You have a high BI.” And now imagine that happening while having a cocktail somewhere cosy. It could very well be the cure to seasonal depression.

Love,
Jean

By Jean

NEW OPENINGS

The new Den Ramen Bar at 22A Cross St (the old Falafel Studio/Top Dumplings) is having an OPENING PARTY on Friday night, with some drinks and snacks. Den is a joint collaboration between the Pici team and food truck MISO-RA. I’m looking forward to seeing how many people can squeeze into that tiny space. 

The team at Rhu have opened a fish and chip shop, ROE, at the 279 Parnell food market. There’s a lot of things I want to eat here, including a hot tempura fish in a milk bun, and creamy soft serve with fish caramel and a pretzel.

Durian-forward AROMA DESSERT STUDIO looks like it is opening up a third location on High St. It definitely feels like there’s more dessert and fancy drink spots in the city than bars now.

NEWS

I remember someone once called Belly Worship the whitest Asian place on Dominion Rd, a perception which has obviously not worked in its favour, as it’s now closed. The Mission Bay one remains open. Which makes sense for the area.

The Grounds in Henderson is closing, with its last day on 31 May. 

If you’re a fan of MasterChef Australia winner Nat Thaipun, you can EAT HER DISHES at the Pullman Auckland until the end of July, including oysters with finger lime + makrut oil; larb beef tartare with spiced marinade + fish sauce; lamb ribs with panang curry sauce.

PS: Truffle season has started.

EVENTS

In an obvious attempt to capture a bit of that Burger Wellington magic, Ponsonby has devised PONSONBURGER, a two-week long celebration of the burger form. Of the 38 venues, these are the ones that I think look the best: Azabu’s Wagyu Katsu Brioche; Bodega’s Full English (beans in a burger); Kol’s Tandoori Chicken Schitzel; San Ray’s Sweet Heat (chicken-pork pastor patty!!); and Tinfeny’s Royal Amok (I LOVE a fish burger). On now till June 7.

Cringe favourite Truth or Dare is celebrating its FIRST BIRTHDAY with guest international bartenders all month. First up is Sydney’s PS40, who will be bringing their Breakfast Negroni, Africola and Salted Pina Colada on Thursday 4 June. 

Coffee Pen has COFFEE AND RECORDS on Saturday with DJs and custom speakers made specially for the event by Grant Priest!

Lillius has a 90S NIGHT on June 23 with Lesley Chandra. $220 for the 20-course snack menu.

By Mike

It’s very rare to see a politician publicly backing an increase in their constituents’ taxes, and even less so on social media. A very modest thrill, then, to see U/MAYORWAYNEBROWN DEFENDING ON REDDIT the 7.9% average increase in Auckland’s property rates agreed by Council this week. While he’s perhaps not entirely accurate in characterising the situation as “suddenly hav[ing] to finance and operate the City Rail Link” – it feels like we’ve all known this particular burden was coming down the tunnel for quite some time now – he is to be commended for providing an authentically belligerent yet logically consistent defence of the hike to those sufficiently online and interested to see it.

It’s all the more poignant given the relatively progressive nature of rates, which cuts against the interests of the many property owners who doubtlessly voted for the mayor. The doomed-to-fail “Stop Wayne” campaign to cap the rise at 5.9% speaks to a degree of panic in the ranks of councillors who, a little belatedly, realised this wasn’t going to be a big winner with their base. Even with the full rates increase agreed, there are still some $50m of operational savings yet to be found in order to balance things out, $25m of which is attributed to increased fuel costs. Wayne may be an irascible boomer, but unlike many in charge he’s at least willing to back that which is unpopular amongst his own.

Choice items from the liquidation sales of Auckland’s two-speed recovery.
By Simon

LEGO ORCHID
Current bid $30, Closes Tuesday
This is a particularly good example of Lego’s particularly good botanicals range. It’s from a larger auction series of old Lego sets in Rosedale which is worth keeping an eye on if you are in the market. So far it’s a bit like Kitchen Things and that long-running series of gizmos auctions where multiple SKUs of the same stuff are getting dropped one at a time every week, but it keeps getting cheaper the longer it goes on.

WOOD FIRED TUB
Current bid $1650, Closes Tuesday
This is like a modern version of the setup I imagine the Hawaiians using when they were preparing Captain Cook.

QUAD BIKE
Current bid $380, Closes Tuesday
There’s a bunch of ATVs for sale in this auction and while they are fun please remember they are all also insanely dangerous, as demonstrated in THIS CLIP from when we nearly killed Anthony Bourdain.

COLOUR KOBO
Current bid $52, Closes Tuesday
If you’re looking for an eBook, I think a Kobo is the way to go as it connects to Auckland Libraries and you can get out books for free on it using your library card.

TOA HORNS
Current bid $10, Closes Tuesday
If you’re involved in the siren scene there’s a bunch of pairs of horns for $10 a set going in this auction.

By Simon

FRIDAY 29TH

STUDIES FOR A KEEPSAKE
Gus Fisher, Free
Retrospective show of over 70 prints for trailblazing (to put it mildly) French surrealists Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore made mostly in the 1920s-30s. Also opening in the little space next door: Phone Tree by Lucy Meyle which looks to be about biscuits and moth traps.

DARTZ
Goblin, $15
The last word in Wellington-born, Melbourne-dwelling pub-punk playing in the intimate surrounds of Goblin should be fun. 

LADI 6, MOKOMOKAI, CHRITOPH EL TRUENTO, GENEVA AM
Double Whammy, $55
Just a great lineup. I can’t think of a better non-festival bill from the whole time we’ve been doing this. Gig of the week.

SATURDAY 30TH

KA MUA KA MURI
Central Library, Free
This has to be the best free gig of the week and it’s even less close than the paid one — as part of the busy Sounds of Tāmaki programme the library has on at the moment, Phoebe Rings, Mokomokai (again), Spell, SPDRTWNBBY and Cameron Beattie are all playing in a Tiny Desk-inspired show from 6:30.

SEUN KUTI & EGYPT 80
Town Hall, $80
QUICK FACT: Egypt 80 is Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti’s old band. When he died in 1997 it was taken over by his son, Seun Kuti, who had been playing with them since before his 9th birthday. Seems like they are likely touring their excellently titled new album Heavier Yet (Lays the Crownless Head). Support from InDuna.

DJ SPELL
Kemuri Hi Fi, Free
Some good, old fashioned turntablism at Kemuri with NZs own 2017 DMC champion. Support from Vee and the great DJ Reminise.

KUZCO & BENNY CHIU
Goblin, $10
I don’t know exactly what this is but I really like the artwork.

SUNDAY 31ST

NOTE: Monday is Kings Birthday so this is all ok for you, assuming you have the day off.

SECT
Whammy, $40
Touring German techno artist Valerie Ace is playing alongside Wellington’s 75 Arrowheads. Local support from Aunty Bev, DJ2FUK2. Looks like if you are broke this weekend they’ll help you out with your ticket, so that’s nice!

FEAR FACTORY
Studio, $99
What’s not nice is 90s US industrial-metallers Fear Factory, who are playing with new lead vocalist Milo Silvestro and local thrash-metallers Imperial Slave.

TECHNO CULT
Neck of the Woods, $10
Conspiracy-themed techno night with Fergus Waveforms, Sauna and Takydon. Dress code is Cult Member; they suggest cult wife chic, alien prophet, robes and matching sets as some possible options. Fun.

TUESDAY 2ND

STAKES - UNITY BOOKS vs NOELLE McCARTHY
Unity Books, $10
A conversation with Noelle McCarthy about her new Dracula book, Stakes.

WEDNESDAY 3RD

DRY CLEANING
Hollywood, $70
Spoken word post-punks from London, touring their new album, Secret Love, which, QUICK FACT, was produced in France by Cate Le Bon who’s here on Friday! Support from Womb.

THURSDAY 4TH

INHERITING REVOLUTION: ON IRAN
Artspace, Free
A talk from peace and conflict studies researcher, Mahdis Azarmandi, about the Iranian conflict set against Selina Ersahdi’s show at Artspace which is along similar lines.

THE CHRISTOPHERS
In Cinemas
Steven Soderbergh two-hander with art forger Michaela Coel hired to finish Ian McKellen’s old canvases so his family can faux-discover and sell them after he dies. Michaela Coel’s face is too distracting for me to know exactly what happened in the trailer I was watching but it’s got 95% on Rotten Tomatoes!